


Chrysanthemums

by Abyssia



Category: Saint Seiya
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 12:58:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18388898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abyssia/pseuds/Abyssia
Summary: The battle with Hades has ended. With dohko gone, and Shiryu unlikely to stay home for long, Shunrei finds herself reluctant to simply stay behind and pray.Miho, finding herself far less affected by Seiya’s tragedy than she would like, finds comfort in her friend as the two of them search for solid ground; no longer content with waiting behind alone any longer.





	Chrysanthemums

All of Shunrei’s early memories were of those five old peaks. She didn’t remember anything from before Dohko found her. She had been alone, shivering. Even in the mild temperate climate, a toddler alone was cold.

As she aged, she had thought it a dream, but she still remembered it so clearly. She remembered a young man, no older than 20, his shoulder-length hair, course and wild about his face. His shoulders were wide and his hands so large to her. He reached out to her and smiled.

“Now, what are you doing out here all alone?” He shimmered, a glittering hue like the stars. He had seemed incorporeal, like a spirit of the land. But Shunrei had taken his hand, and after that she remembered only warmth.

It had been that man, that spirit that had lead her to where Dohko sat in his vigil. As Dohko could not move from his spot, his spirit had guided Shunrei and brought her up. By the time that Shiryu arrived to train, Shunrei was able to stand there on her who two feet.

But now, all that warmth was gone from Gorouhou. Master Dohko had dissappeared before her very eyes, and Shiryu too. He left, and she had to follow him once again back to Japan.

 

Before Shunrei stood the Graad foundation’s hospital that she had come to know far too well. It was a plain, unremarkable building that brought Shunrei no joy to see again. Shunrei walked up the paved stone path, to where Shiryu was waiting for her. His posture is tall and straight, his clothes in his usual Chinese style, but dark and understated. Shunrei gave him a soft smile, stopping a few paces away from him.

“Shiryu…I’m so glad that you’re safe.”

Shiryu’s eyes were uncovered, but vacant, not quite able to focus on her. “Shunrei, thank you for coming all this way.”

“Of course, I had to see you again in person,” Shunrei leaned forward, her weight shifting to the balls of her feet as she opened her arms towards him. “Shiryu I—” But before Shunrei could embrace him, Shiryu stepped to the side, his hand catching her wrist gently as to instead lead her inside.

“Seiya is still inside if you’d like to see him.”

Shunrei stopped, her fists closing as she bit her lip. In that moment in all honesty, she didn’t care one bit about Seiya. All she wanted was for Shiryu to hold her, and for them both to return to Gorouhou again. Gods knew that she couldn’t bear to stay there alone anymore.

“I hope he is doing well.”

“If you’re lucky, he might be awake, and you might have a chance before he’s taken to Greece.”

Shunrei didn’t respond, lightly tugging her wrist out of Shiryu’s grip.

“Is it really wise to take him so far in that condition? Why bother to bring him back all this way then?”

Shiryu gave a light shrug. “I do not have an answer for you. I imagine it was so that he could be in his home country to recover, but it is clear that the threat is still too grave.”

Shunrei grit her teeth, her fists starting to quiver. “Shiryu—” but before she could finish, the hospital doors suddenly burst open. Shunrei turned to look and saw none other than Miho running down the hospital stairs. Miho’s eyes were wide, tears streaming down her face as she bolted in a flat-out run. Shiryu didn’t move to follow the sound, but Shunrei peeled away and began to follow her.

“Shunrei, I think it is best you leave her be for now.”

Shunrei had to resist hissing back at Shiryu. “I’m going after her, I’m not going to let her be alone right now.”

“Shunrei!”

Shunrei didn’t turn back, and left Shiryu standing alone in front of the hospital again. She ran as fast as she could after Miho, following the flicker of her cosmo until Miho came to a stop at the water’s edge.

Shunrei jogged up behind Miho, stopping a few paces away and watching for a moment. Miho was standing facing the water with her arms wrapped around herself. She shook ever so slightly, her soft sobs hardly audible over the sound of the waves.

Shunrei took another step forward, reaching out a hand as she drew nearer. Soon after, Miho took notice. She started, taking in a gasp and turning around in surprise. Her eyes were wide, her face tear-stained. “Shunrei!…” Miho then turned back around, hastily wiping her face before looking back at Shunrei with a painfully forced smile on her face.

“Hey…Shunrei! I didn’t know you were coming. What are you doing here though? Shouldn’t you be with Shiryu?”

“Never mind him right now,” Shunrei said, doing all that she could to keep the bitterness out of her voice. “Miho, are you alright?”

“Yeah, of course I am!” Miho said, her voice cracking. She didn’t look directly at Shunrei, even as she walked steadily closer and closer. “I’m fine…Seiya is stable, and he’s back, that’s what’s important right?”

“Did you see him?” Shunrei asked, gently placing one of her hands on Miho’s back.

Miho paused, her strained smile frozen on her face.

“It’s okay Miho. How about you and I just go for a little walk?”

Miho nodded slowly, on of her hands clinging to the hem of Shunrei’s shirt.

“Thanks, I would like that.”

They walked along together in silence for a few long minutes, Miho’s knuckles going write as she continued to cling to Shunrei. Without a word, Shunrei took Miho’s hand, carefully prying it away from her shirt. Miho looked up at Shunrei with a curious look on her face. Shunrei smiled as she closed her hand around Miho’s, the two of them continuing to walk in silence.

“It’s alright if you don’t want to talk, I know that you must be going through a lot.”

“Yeah…” Miho replied.

“Just let me know if you ever want to rest, or when you’re ready to go back to the orphanage.”

Miho stopped suddenly in her tracks, causing Shunrei to stop walking as well and be jerked back to look at Miho.

Miho shook her head and squeezed Shunrei’s hand even tighter.

Shunrei stepped closer to Miho, brushing some bangs out of her face and cupping the side of Miho’s face.

“Miho,” Shunrei said calmly. “You seem as if you are about to shatter under the weight. Please, tell me what burdens you so.”

Miho’s shoulders began to shake, her teeth gritting as she seemed to be choking back sobs.

Shunrei was about to pull away to give the girl some space when Miho suddenly lurched forward to wrap her arms around Shunrei. Shunrei stumbled back half a pace, but then held Miho in return, cradelling Miho’s head against her chest.

“I’m sorry Shunrei, I don’t even deserve your kindness. I’m so sorry…I’m so awful.”

“Whatever do you mean Miho?”

“I don’t deserve your pity, I’m heartless!”

“Miho, you’re going to have to calm down and explain to me what you mean.”

“I’m sorry I can’t go back to the orphanage. All the kids are so worried about Seiya and…I have nothing to tell them.”

“That’s nothing that you can blame yourself for.”

“No you don’t understand!” Miho lifted her head, staring up at Shunrei, her eyes wide. “How can I face them and tell them that Seiya can’t walk and that he might die?!”

“Miho…”

“And on top of that…” Miho’s expression began to become almost hysterical. “Someone like me…I…I’m not even sad for him.”

“Miho—”

“Everyone keeps telling me their condolences, saying how hard things must be but….but! I feel nothing.” Miho gave a shuddering sob. “What’s wrong with me?! Seiya is my childhood friend— I’ve known him so long, I’ve been waiting for him to return from Greece again for so long and I—”

Shunrei pulled Miho’s face back into her chest, holding Miho tightly to try and calm her. “Miho, it’s alright, I’m sure you’re just in shock.”

Miho gave sounds of protest, shaking her head in Shunrei’s arms. “No….you’re wrong, I’ve just been lying to myself.”

Shunrei blinked, Miho’s resigned defeat striking a resonating chord deep within Shunrei.

Shunrei looked up, finding a bench in a nearby park where they could sit. Shunrei lead Miho there and sat her down. Shunrei sat down with her, remaining close and watching Miho carefully.

“When I was young,” Miho began suddenly, “like any girl, I imagined one day that a handsome prince would sweep me off my feet” Miho’s gaze was distant, Shunrei didn’t respond, only taking Miho’s hand again. “Seiya was so awful to me when we were younger. He did nothing but tease and torment me.”

Shunrei rubbed her thumb along the back of Miho’s hand.

“But my caretaker told me, that Seiya only did those things because he liked me.”

Shunrei rolled her eyes and gave a scoff, placing her other hand on Miho’s back. “That’s utterly absurd.”

“I’m sorry…I was dumb enough to believe that,” Miho replied meekly. Shunrei bit her lip, and decided to just keep listening quietly.

“When Seiya came back, I guess I decided that he would be my prince. He came back, after all, right?”

Shunrei then decided to to reply, carefully. “My master, Dohko. He told me that a true man respects his object of affection. He cares what they think and feel, and would never leave them alone in the dark.”

Miho’s gaze fell, her shoulders slumping. Despite her attempts, Shunrei seemed to be doing nothing but make things worse. Shunrei took Miho by both shoulders, causing Miho to look up at her.

Miho gave a bitter smile.“I’m sorry, Shunrei. I really was a fool, wasn’t I? Thinking that all my dreams could come true with a Kiss from some random Prince?”

“It’s not foolish, like you said, it’s many girl’s dreams.”

“Wellyou’re lucky, Shunrei. You’ve already found your prince in Shiryu.”

Shunrei felt her chest constrict painfully, her fingers gripping Miho’s shoulder’s a little too tightly for a moment. Miho winced and Shunrei felt another wave of shame wash over her. She was doing nothing but hurt this poor girl who was already suffering. There had to be something that she could do to help ease some of her pain.

Shunrei leaned a little closer, lifting one hand to to take Miho’s chin. “You’re not a fool. You’re an incredibly kind and warm girl, Miho.”

“Thanks…Shunrei, but you don’t need to lie to me,” Miho gave a bitter smile. “I’m barely even a real woman. I have a nasty temper and hate doing chores. Plus, I’m not even a bit as beautiful as miss Saori.”

“You are beautiful, Miho,”  
Miho shook her head. “Shunrei…I’m sorry but—”

“Do you think I would lie to you?” Shunrei said, suddenly leaning her face incredibly close to Miho’s.

“No—of course not!” Miho sputtered taken off guard by by Shunrei’s sudden seriousness and closeness. “B-but you’re not—”

“I’m not…what?!”

“I mean…you’re a girl like me.”

“Are you saying that a girl can’t find another girl beautiful?”

“N-no…that’s not it…I mean. I think you’re beautiful too…Shunrei,”

Shunrei smiled, moving her hand back up to cup Miho’s cheek again. “Why thank you Miho, you flatter me.”

“Shunrei—stop teasing me like this. Someone might see us!”

Miho’s face was flushed red, her sadness seeming to have been completely forgotten.

“I’m not teasing you, Miho. I just hate to see you so sad dejected.”

Miho met Shunrei’s eyes, her lips pressed together. “Shunrei…”

“You don’t have to beat yourself up over not feeling anything for Seiya. He has hardy been around, right? He was just your childhood friend, you don’t own him anything, not even your tears.”

“That just doesn’t seem right…Shunrei.”

“Why?”

“I…”

Shunrei pulled herself a little closer. “When Seiya and Shiryu first went back to greece, you let me stay with you at the orphanage. It wasn’t right for you to be left alone like that.”

“Yeah, thank you for that.”

“If you want, I can come stay with you again.”

Miho paused, “I…I don’t know.”

Shunrei remained silent for a few moments, her face drifting ever closer to Miho’s. For a moment, Miho seemed to be completely caught up in their closeness. Perhaps spurred by her dejection, she got closer to Shunrei as well.

“Shunrei…” she said softly. “Please don’t go back to china, not again. Please…stay here a while longer.“

“I’m not going anywhere,” Shunrei whispered, inching forward almost far enough to close the gap.

But just as Shunrei felt the tickle of Miho’s breath against her lips, She heard an approaching voice come up quickly from behind them.

“Shunrei!” It was shiryu. Unable to fully see again yet, he was calling for her.

Shunrei pulled away sharply. Standing up from the bench, taking Miho by the hand. She faced him, not hiding the displeasure on her face.

“Shunrei! Is that you?”

“Yes Shiryu, I’ve found Miho.”

He gave a relieved smiled. “Good, she can come back with us to miss Saori’s Manor if she wishes.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m here to take you back with me, you must be tired from your journey.”

Shunrei squeezed Miho’s hand. “Thank you, but I already have arrangements in place,” she turned around, not looking at Shiryu again, Miho stumbling after her.

“Shunrei!”

“Goodbye Shiryu,” Shunrei said pulling Miho away, leaving Shiryu alone in the park behind them.


End file.
